GRANT APPLICATIONS SOUGHT FROM FARMERS

Do you have an innovative idea you would like to try on your farm but need some extra funding to make it a reality? If so, there
is a meeting of interest on Monday, November 17 at 6:00 p.m. at the James W. Warren Citizens Center in the Extension demonstration kitchen. Joe Schroeder, a representative from RAFI will hold a workshop on how to
apply for their grants. RAFI stands for Rural Advancement Foundation International and is a private,
non-profit organization based in Pittsboro, NC.

Here is a brief description of their grant program which Joe provided:
“RAFI-USA’s Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund will make cost-share grants to farmers, farm organizations, and
community groups for enterprises that demonstrate new ways to earn income on the farm. Cost-share support of up to
$10,000 will be awarded to individual producers and support of up to $30,000 will be awarded to collaborative farmer efforts. Priority will be given to projects that benefit farmers who had income from tobacco and to projects that create an
opportunity for new generations of farmers.”

Even though we don’t grow tobacco, the RAFI representative said that innovative ideas from this area would be considered.
For more information, please go to the RAFI website at www.rafiusa.org. They have a listing of the projects which have
been funded in the past.

Many of these involve marketing or adding value to the farm product in some fashion. The deadline for applications is
January 14, 2009, with an early submission deadline of December 15th 2008. If you plan on attending the local meeting, please
call us at 704-736-8452 prior to November 17.

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